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Driving the change needed to achieve better blood cancer treatments for patients through ALLG clinical trials in Australasia

The Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group (ALLG) is Australia and New Zealand’s only not-for-profit blood cancer clinical trial research group.

ALLG clinical trials have advanced many treatments for blood cancers over the last five decades. Our trials have contributed to what are now standard treatments in Australia and New Zealand in AML and other conditions.

ALLG aims to cure patients with blood cancers; finding more effective and less toxic therapies to improve and lengthen lives.

Since 1973 the ALLG’s purpose has and continues to be ‘Better treatments…Better lives’ for patients with blood cancer. The Group has been conducting clinical trials for the treatment and cure of blood cancers since 1973.

This year, 2023, we celebrate 50 years of progress in blood cancer treatments through ALLG clinical trials in Australasia. The ALLG members are blood cancer specialists driven by this purpose and will continue to build on five decades of progress as we look to the future; with the aim to cure blood cancer.

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Over 12,500 patients

Supported by ALLG trials from 1973 to 2023, including all ALLG trials, projects and registries.

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Over 160 trials

Clinical trials are the engine of cancer research. Every new and improved treatment is only made by possible through clinical trial research.

In this ALLG 5 decades of impact in blood cancer you will read about our research efforts to help patients and health care providers provide better patient outcomes.

Patients’ lives are at the centre of what we do. We are dedicated to identifying ways to ensure the best treatments possible. We remain resolute in our primary focus “better treatments…better lives”.

Accelerating the best science, evidence and effective outcomes in clinical trials, through ALLG’s Scientific Research Strategy:

Our Scientific Research Strategy has 4 goals

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Clinical Trials

  • To find better treatments to improve the lives of patients with blood cancers
  • To address clinical trial research access issues
  • To set 5-year goals for each ALLG disease specific clinical trial program
  • To present and publish every research project.
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Translational Research

  • To understand the biology of blood cancers and what drives blood cancers
  • To discover new therapies and better ways to treat them
  • To include translational laboratory studies, quality of life, and economic evaluations
  • To develop ALLG’s Biobank of blood and tissue samples for researchers
  • To introduce precision medicine techniques to disease diagnosis and prognosis assessment
  • To improve disease monitoring with molecular, immune-oncological and functional imaging techniques.
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Dynamic Support

  • To provide laboratory research for discoveries in treatments to trial
  • To ultimately improve clinical practice
  • To train and mentor members in the skills required for clinical trial research
  • To strengthen external collaboration
  • To improve clinical trial efficiency and conduct
  • To use innovative approaches and technologies that improve patient access to clinical trials.
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Improve clinical practice

  • To translate research outcomes into future patient care and health care service models
  • To advocate for improved access to new therapies and tests for patients
  • To advance the application of trial findings via communications strategies and relationships
  • To involve members in leading development of practice statements and guidelines,
  • patient related information and government policy
  • To translate research outcomes into clinical practice in Australia and New Zealand
  • To encourage secondary use of trial and registry data to maximise value of the research effort.

The ALLG provides the infrastructure and governance necessary for our members – Australian and New Zealand doctors, scientists and support staff – to work together to conduct multi-disciplinary clinical research into specific blood cancers that are still very problematic to treat, to evaluate the effectiveness of new treatments, patients’ quality of life and the cost-effectiveness of therapies.

The ALLG provides a comprehensive portfolio of research across a wide spectrum of haematological malignancies. The non-profit has the capability to run clinical trials in Australasia an , crucially, to participate in international trials; allowing us access to new rugs with the potential to make a significant impact on patient outcome.

Professor Andrew Grigg
30 Year ALLG Member, Director of Clinical
Haematology, Austin Hospital

"The ALLG provides a comprehensive portfolio of research across a wide spectrum of haematological malignancies. The non-profit has the capability to run clinical trials in Australasia and, crucially, to participate in international trials; allowing us access to new drugs with the potential to make a significant impact on patient outcome."
Professor Andrew Grigg
30 Year ALLG Member, Director of Clinical Haematology / Austin Hospital

Clinical trials are the engine of cancer research. Every new and improved treatment is only made by possible through clinical trial research.

For 50 years, the ALLG has been the only not-for-profit clinical trial organisation for blood cancer in Australia and New Zealand that sponsors clinical trials initiated and led by its members.

There are still too many blood cancers that present significant treatment challenges for doctors and their patients. Laboratory research and clinical trials are the only way to create a new wave of discoveries and to offer new medicines.

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Patients with hard-to-treat blood cancers have no other way to gain access to innovative, potentially life-saving, new treatments.

ALLG’s comprehensive scientific research strategy will drive the change needed now to achieve better blood cancer treatments for these patients.

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ALLG’s clinical trial research brings hope to patients and their families

Discovering new and more effective treatments with less side effects, while aiming for a cure for people with blood cancer, will not only improve patients’ wellbeing and save more lives it will also help save costs to our health system.

There is a 5.8:1 benefit-to-cost ratio of clinical trials – meaning that for each $1 invested in clinician-driven clinical trials in Australia, benefits of $5.80 can be realised; according to a report from the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care and the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance on the economic return on investment of investigator-initiated clinical trials conducted by networks.

Global leaders with global impact

Several ALLG trials have resulted in new internationally adopted treatment protocols, expanded indications for existing treatments and increased international focus on Australia’s position as a leader in the blood cancer field.

Better treatments – Changing and improving clinical practice and patients’ lives

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Optimal Care Pathways

for blood cancers released with the National Blood Cancer Taskforce

Translational research: National Blood Cancer Registry and Biobank – for researchers to better understand disease biology and provide clinical pathways for more effective, targeted, treatments.

Over the past 50 years, the ALLG has had:

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Publications in peer reviewed journals

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Presentations of trial results at local and international conferences

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International research cooperative trial group partners

Improving patient access to clinical trials and leading-edge treatments – through ALLG’s international clinical trial collaborations

Advocacy

ALLG is advancing health equity and clinical trials through its government consultations, ALLG’s Rural and Regional Haematology Working Group, involvement in the Australian Teletrials Program, and through ALLG’s Consumer Representative Panel of blood cancer survivors.

About ALLG

The ALLG membership represents more than 1,000 haematologists, scientists, and clinical trial research staff across Australia and New Zealand. Being a member-based not-for-profit group allows us to be independent of industry / pharma and put action plans in place for all blood cancer diseases, not just one blood cancer type.

ALLG members are clinician researchers who volunteer their time and expertise; committed to finding better treatments for better lives of patients with blood cancer by undertaking clinical trial research. Our members include preeminent experts in various blood disorder conditions, both here and globally. Life Members include true pioneers in the field of haematology and oncology.

Why does it matter that ALLG is a Not-for-Profit (NFP)?

Being a NFP allows us to put action plans in place for all disease, not just one blood cancer type. ALLG trials take a wholistic approach in delivering clinical trials – not just about the drug but also about the quality of life for the patient and the opportunity to continue new discoveries through sample collections and laboratory research. We are not tied to any one specific drug or area, and can be flexible in our research approach. We make the most of every angle possible and every opportunity for the patient and for the research benefit. We also bring a number of new drug options into our trials for better treatments and better patient lives, with the ultimate aim of a cure for blood cancer.

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As a registered charity, 100% of funds raised for ALLG go directly to our clinical trial research.

What does ALLG’s Research mean for those with blood cancer?

Better treatments, better lives, aiming for cure.